Chapter 38Ashley lifted the jar containing the tiny snake with relative ease. The observations had always been her favorite part of biology. She supposed she had Ian to thank now that she could conveniently leave for field work after her tenure was over. The man was a savage negotiator and she could see why he was highly revered in the business world now. He made it seem like he wasn’t helping, rather he was paying her allowance for sleeping with him.An allowance worth more than five hundred thousand dollars every week. She was glad to be donating it. What would she do with all that money? She loved to spend but that amount was utterly ridiculous.“Professor, uh, there’s a…thing crawling up behind you”, a girl said in a shaky voice. Ashley shuddered and turned back to see a giant snake. “Awwn, you mean Crowley? He’s harmless”, Ashley tittered. She had found it as an egg in field work, one of the joys of being a biologist. It was a clingy one, always wrapping his entire six foot le
Chapter 39"You look good", Ian said, walking into the studio in a coal three-piece suit with purple lapels that were the exact color as her gown. He had given the gown to her personally and she was absolutely obsessed with it. The way the back was slightly open was so elegant, and there was a mini-coat for when her back got too cold. Being rich truly had the best perks."...Thank you", Ashley bit the inside of her cheeks to contain her blush. "Do you ever wear color?", She asked, rolling her hair up as the video in front of her played."There's purple on my suit right now", he deadpanned and Ashley rolled her eyes and continued to focus on the video.The realization had come starkly to her that the professional makeup artists would know who she was, and now she was doing her own makeup.She knew Ian could have them sign an NDA, but the less people that knew generally, the better. She could barely field the thought that some people had most likely seen Ian and Yu Zhen walking into he
Chapter 40Yu Zhen walked into Ian’s studio expecting to see Ashley getting ready with Ian working in the background. He was initially meant to be in the house with them, but he had to ensure Ashley had taken a good enough bath before he could even think about being in her presence. He knew Ashley was weird and fearless in a good way, but reptiles? His job tonight was to make sure Ian, Ashley and Rita didn’t get hurt in any way, and he had suspicions that were hard to ignore, ever since the day of Xelsa’s anniversary party. He was so glad to tell Ashley they’d get to spend time gossiping again but then he got rudely shocked.He debunked everything he ever thought about Ashley being his friend; she didn’t even think to warn them that she would be receiving a tight hug from a reptile when they entered and although it was partially his fault for not informing her beforehand, he felt he could throw the blame at whoever he wanted to for the traumatic experience.Even Ian deserved the blam
Chapter 41"Hey! Wait for me!", Rita ran out of the house, her dress billowing behind her as she came to stop in front of them."Where's my suit?", Ian raised an eyebrow, pausing in his movement of opening the door for Ashley."You're wearing it", she rolled her eyes and walked up to the car."I seem to remember someone promising to buy a new one", Ashley said offhandedly, pretending to check her nails.Rita threw Ashley a glare and she chortled."C'mon Ian, I deserve to buy something new, from my brother's money", Rita pouted.Ian raised a corner of his lips in irritation. Rita raised a hand placatingly and moved to stand behind Yu Zhen."Where's your car?", Yu Zhen asked the woman cowering behind him."My car? We're going in Ian's Maybach", she grinned."No, we're going in the Maybach, you have your own car", Ian rolled his eyes and impatiently ushered Ashley in.Rita groaned. She had hoped that Ashley being his wife would give her extra access to some perks he blatantly denied her
Chapter 42"Remember, you love me, and so you have to smile around me, no matter how hard it is", Ashley instructed him seriously as she put on her mask and dusted off the crumbs from her dress.Ian was sure it wouldn’t be hard, she performed even better than his drugs, so much that he hadn’t had to use them. He was as prone to smile around her as a baby around their favorite person.Ian also dusted off crumbs from his shirt as she had deigned to feed him somewhere along the line when his stomach betrayed him with a growl."Do you not know how to eat? Or feed?", Ian rolled his eyes as the crumbs seemed to have gotten everywhere."Don't blame me, you nearly bit my hand like seven times", she bit back. Ian held back a mischievous grin as he had indeed tried to bite her hand. It was a thing of impulse, her hand was right there, he was overwhelmed with the urge to bite it, and so he tried.Later in his life, Ian would come to learn about a little something called cute aggression .“I don
“You must be the brand new Mrs Hills”, the lady flashed a grin that sent shivers down Ashley’s spine. Ashley had seen this before, this was how Amelia started out. “Our future matriarch right there”, Hillary smiled happily before going back to hold on to Ashley’s hand. “What a lovely woman, what may I call you?”, the lady asked with a smile.Ashley held back a sneer, she couldn’t possibly think she was that stupid.“Mrs. Hills of course”, Ashley grinned and held out a gloved hand – the one that wasn’t imprisoned by Hillary – to shake her.“There would be some confusion, since auntie is also Mrs. Hills”, the lady began and Ashley nearly gritted her teeth. The Hills matriarch might get offended that she was taking her spot.“Oh nonsense! I’m Hillary Hills, no one calls me Mrs Hills anymore, it’s all for my beautiful daughter-in-law”, Hillary countered smoothly. Ashley felt the most immense sense of gratefulness for her mother-in-law. “Oh, wonderful”, the lady forced out through her t
"She's a popular actress though", Ashley observed in confusion. She was so popular that she was supposed to marry Ian. She was clearly considered elite material too. She had been engaged to both of the youngest Hills men. She was by all means elegant enough to get in."This is a gathering of real elites, entertainers are silly clowns compared to the people allowed in here", Ian said imperiously.Ashley blinked, she wouldn't have even smelled the venue in her life if she wasn't married to Ian. Ian saw the wheels turning around in her head and felt the urge to laugh. His grandfather had invited her on the basis of her giving that one great lecture that he has been obsessed with. Her title as Ian's wife only helped the invite get to her quicker."You're a tiny elite too", he simply said.Ashley grinned. "Thanks to my husband.""No, there was a "Professor Toma" golden plaque somewhere in his living room", Ian conceded. He had done quite a bit of damage that he needed to reverse. The fi
Mark took a deep breath and calmed himself down. It wouldn't do to ridicule himself amongst those that found him in high esteem.He took out his phone and called up his mother. The woman would somehow find a way to let Mava get into the event.He could feel the displeasure radiating off the actress in waves and nearly sneered. She was acting like she could get into the event on her own power. Mark had met a lot of deluded people, but she was a special kind. She believed everyone was at her mercy because she was loved by her fans, people that meant next to nothing in this kind of gathering.She was a measly tool for him to get back at Ian. He wouldn't let one night take away all his progress.He brought her there so people would see the difference between him and his stupid half-brother. The fact that Ian was born legitimately was the only edge the man would ever have over him.A woman in a white and red dress came up behind the announcer with a wine glass in her hands."You dare disr